Lantana plant named ‘Sonset’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Lantana plant named ‘Sonset’, characterized by its upright, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; intense golden yellow, red and purple-colored flowers; and excellent garden performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantana plant, botanically known as Lantana camara, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Sonset’.

The new Lantana was discovered in by the Inventor in Clinton, Miss., as a naturally-occuring branch mutation of the Latana camara cultivar ‘Sonrise’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,856.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Clinton, Miss., since the summer of 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Lantana are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Sonset’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and culture such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, water status, and/or fertilizer rate or type without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sonset’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sonset’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit.

3. Freely flowering habit.

4. Intense golden yellow, red and purple-colored flowers.

5. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of the patent, the cultivar ‘Sonrise’, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lantana are more compact than plants of the cultivar ‘Sonrise’.

2. Flower colors of plants of the new Lantana are more intense and more saturated than flower colors of plants of the cultivar ‘Sonrise’.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of the cultivar ‘Robpatdes’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,156. However, in side-by-side comparisions conducted by the Inventor in Clinton, Miss., plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of the cultivar ‘Robpatdes’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lantana are larger and more vigorous than plants of the cultivar ‘Robpatdes’.

2. Plants of the new Lantana are more freely and consistently flowering than plants of the cultivar ‘Robpatdes’.

3. Plants of the new Lantana are hardier than plants of the cultivar ‘Robpatdes’.

4. Plants of the new Lantana and the cultivar ‘Robpatdes’ differ slightly in flower color.

Plants of the new Lantana can also be compared to plants of the cultivar ‘Dallas Red’, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Clinton, Miss., plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of the cultivar ‘Dallas Red’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lantana are more freely flowering and flower more continuously than plants of the cultivar ‘Dallas Red’.

2. Plants of the new Lantana are more hardy than plants of the cultivar ‘Dallas Red’.

3. Plants of the new Lantana and the cultivar ‘Dallas Red’ differ slightly in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lantana.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Sonset’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Sonset’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in 1.5-gallon containers were used for the photographs and following description. Plants were grown under outdoor conditions in Clinton, Miss. and Keller, Tex. during the spring and summer and were about 4 to 6 months old.

Botanical classification: Lantana camara cultivar ‘Sonset’.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Lantana camara cultivar ‘Sonrise’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,856.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 7 to 10 days at 32° C.

Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 10 to 14 days at 18° C.

Time to develop roots, summer.—About 14 to 28 days at 32° C.

Time to develop roots, winter.—About 20 to 40 days at 18° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Form.—Perennial flowering plant; subshrub; initially upright, then outwardly spreading, mounded. Freely branching; lateral branches potentially forming at every node; pinching enhances lateral branch development.

Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio containers and landscape applications.

Plant height.—About 48 cm.

Plant diameter.—About 76 cm.

Vigor.—Vigorous.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 42 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 3.9 cm. Aspect: Initially upright, then bending about 45° from upright. Strength: Flexible, but strong. Texture: Pubescent; fine white hairs; coarse. Color: Young: 144A. Woody: Close to 199B to 199C.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical and long-persisting; opposite. Length: About 6.1 cm. Width: About 5.4 cm. Shape: Ovate to almost circular. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse to truncate. Margin: Crenate to serrate. Texture: Rough, coarse; pubescence on both surfaces; rugose. Fragrance: Pungent, herb-like; pleasant. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A. Young foliage, lower surface: 147B. Mature foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A. Mature foliage, lower surface: 147B. Veins, upper surface: 147A to 147B. Veins, lower surface: 147B. Petiole length: About 1.1 cm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole color: 147A to 147B.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Small salverform flowers arranged in axillary umbels; flowers face mostly upward or outward. Flowers self-cleaning. Very freely flowering with potentially two inflorescences per node; typically about 25 flowers per umbel.

Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the autumn; flowering continuous.

Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week.

Fragrance.—Faint, sweet, pleasant.

Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.2 cm.

Inflorescence height.—About 2.2 cm.

Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused, four-parted; flowers roughly rectangular in shape. Diameter: About 1.5 cm by 1.25 cm. Corolla tube length: About 9 mm.

Flower buds (just before showing color).—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Shape: Oblong. Color: 146A to 146B.

Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of four petals, fused into flared trumpet. Petal length from throat: Upper petal, about 8 mm; lower and lateral petals, about 6.5 mm. Petal width: Upper petal, about 1 cm; lower petal, about 8 mm; lateral petals, about 6 mm. Petal shape: Upper and lower petals, somewhat spatulate; lateral petals, mostly orbicular. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture: Smooth, satiny; throat, whiskered. Color: Petal, upper surface, when opening: Close to 14A. Petal, lower surface, when opening: Close to 14A to 14B. Petal, upper surface, fully opened: More purple than 45A, becoming more purple, close to 66A, with subsequent development; throat, close to 14A. Petal, lower surface and tube, fully opened: Close to 44C becoming close to 66C with development.

Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: One per flower arranged in a spiral whorl; leaf-like. Calyx length: About 1.6 cm. Calyx width: About 9 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Sharply acute. Margin: Entire. Texture: Pubescent. Color, both surfaces: 146A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 5.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Angle: About 25° to the stem. Strength: Flexible, but strong. Color: 144A.

Pedicels.—Length: Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color: Close to 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About four. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Dark yellow. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity: One. Pistil length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Style color: 144D. Ovary color: 144A.

Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Lantana have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens common to Lantana.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Lantana have been observed to be tolerant to rain and wind, tolerant to temperatures above 35° C., and hardy to at least zone 8 (USDA Hardiness Zone). 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lantana plant named ‘Sonset’, as illustrated and described. 